Woman in Bohol saddened after getting envelope with sample ballot, money

A woman in Bohol got dismayed after discovering that an envelope containing a sample ballot and money stapled with names of candidates was addressed to her and sent to her parents’ house.

“Neatly enclosed in a white envelope with my name, address and precinct number on it, securely taped, and delivered to my parents’ house,” May V. Blanco posted on Facebook.

“I let my daughters open it so they’d see what’s inside. Their future is at stake. So sad for them to see that despite the clean envelope, our elections are still dirty. When will we ever learn?” Blanco said.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157319500083631&set=a.10152267956913631&type=3

Blanco told GMA News Online on Monday that she went to her parents’ house in Tagbilaran on Sunday to visit the tomb of her late mother on Mother’s Day.

When she arrived at her parents’ house in Barangay Poblacion I, her 12-year-old nephew handed her an envelope, which was sent to her parents’ house prior to her visit, with her name and address written on it.

Blanco said she already had a hunch what’s inside the envelope, so she let her daughters open it. When her daughters opened the envelope, they saw P570 with a sample ballot and names of candidates.

She said she has been hearing of alleged vote-buying incidents in their area since she was in college.

“Noong college pa ako, may naghatid ng sample ballot na may naka-stapler (na pera) doon sa bahay ng parents ko. Naikuwento lang ng parents ko sa akin,” she said.

Blanco added that the people who sent her money could have known her family well because the sender knew she was not living in her parents’ house anymore.

“Ang weird pa kasi ‘yung address ko ang nakalagay sa envelope, which is a different address from my parents’ house. Pero sa bahay ng parents ko nila hinatid,” Blanco said.

“Sobra ang market research nila,” she added jokingly.

Blanco took a photo of the money and items that she received and posted it on social media.

Aside from the money bills, also seen in the photo were papers with the names of Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto who is running for representative of Bohol’s first district, Arthur Yap running for governor, Rene Relampagos running for vice-governor, reelectionist Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap and the DIWA party list.

GMA News Online has reached out to the involved candidates but they have yet to respond as of writing. (GMA Eleksyon 2019)